Poll dates announced for Varanasi, last phase to begin on May 12

Notification was issued Thursday for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held on May 12 in 41 constituencies spread over three states, including in Varanasi from where BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi is contesting.

In Uttar Pradesh, 18 seats will go to polls in the last phase while in West Bengal elections will be held in 17 seats.

In Bihar, six constituencies will go to polls on May 12. Key seats in the last phase include Varanasi, where Modi is pitted against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Congress’ Ajay Rai. Modi is also contesting from Vadodara in his home state of Gujarat.

In Azamgarh in UP, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is among the candidates. He is a sitting MP from Mainpuri. This time, he is contesting from the two seats.

In Gorakhpur, sitting BJP MP Adityanath is fighting to retain his seat. BJP MPs have won from Gorakhpur in eastern UP since 1989.

Other key seat in this phase includes Vaishali in Bihar from where sitting RJD MP and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is seeking another term.

EC had recently ordered transfer of officials of districts falling in some of the constituencies going to poll in this phase.

For the May 12 polls, candidates can file their nominations till April 24, while scrutiny of the papers is scheduled on April 25.